1. Field
The present application relates generally to the operation of wireless communication devices, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for service acquisition in a broadcast system.
2. Background
When a wireless communication device is not able to receive a usable signal from a serving system it is said to be out-of-service (OOS). Typically, when out-of-service, the wireless communication device attempts to acquire a usable signal so that service from the serving system can be established. In its attempts to acquire a usable signal, the wireless communication device expends battery power attempting to acquire usable signals that may not be readily available, which reduces the device's available operating time before the battery needs recharging. If the wireless communication device continuously attempts to acquire a usable signal, and such a signal is not readily available in the wireless communication device's current operating environment, the battery power will quickly be consumed with no beneficial result. For example, modern broadcast systems may transmit data in bursts whereby the device is active either to detect a beacon signal or to get data intended for it. When the device is searching for service, it does not have any timing information and thus must be active continuously; this leads to higher current consumption in the out-of-service state.
Therefore, what is needed is a mechanism that operates to provide service acquisition processing at a wireless communication device that allows an out-of-service device to efficiently acquire a usable signal to establish service.